The Portland daily press., 1887-03-29
THAT AWFUL LEAP.
miss Thurston improving at the
Rhode Island hospital.
MRS. Kendall Doing Well at the Mar.
ragansett Hotel.

The following are details Of the sad accident
that occurred to Mrs. Hosea Kendall, and
Miss Mary b. Thurston, of which the public
was informed by an Associated Press dis
patch yesterday morning.
Mrs Hosea Kendall was out of health
and several months ago went to Florida.
Miss Mary B. Thurston, daughter of Brown
Thurston, ESQ.,, accompanied her, so she
could have a friend as companion. Miss
Thurston has written home several times
that the care of Mrs. Kendall was wearing
on her. A few days ago Mrs. Kendall and
Miss Thurston left for home. and at Jersey
City they were Joined by young Walter G..
Porter of this city, who is q years of age.
The three left New York on the Shore Line
express train due in Boston Sunday at $3.50
o'clock. These three passengers occupied
seats in the palace car ''Pequot," and there
was nothing about them that would lead
any one to suspect that the two women
would be the principals in an awful and re-
markable experience. The train was a little
late, and was moving rapidly to make up
for lost time. As it approached Norwood
Station the speed was at the rate of fully
forty-fve miles an hour, over a down curve
which occurs at this portion of the road.
Just before reaching Norwood, Miss Thurs
ton arose from her seat to go the toilet room
and was followed by Mrs. Kendall, while Mr..
Porter sat in his seat perusiDg newspaper.
After leaving the toilet room Miss Thurston
suddenly opened the door of the car and
made her way to the platform. The next
instant she made an awful leap into space
while the train Numbered along.
Apparently Mrs. Kendall had suspected the
young woman's design, for she had followed
her, and before the frightful jump was
made, seized her by the skirts in an
endeavor to hold her back. Instead of
accomplishing this result, she, too, made
the thrilling leap, invomntarily dragged
from the platform by Miss Thurston. No cry
was made and the frightful occurrence was
witnessed by only one person, an attache of
the train. He Immediately gave the alarm
to the conductor, by whom the train was
stopped after making about half a mile
Roadway after the accident.
The train was backed down as rapidly as
possible to the point where the two women
lay, about 500 feet from Norwood station.
By this time the people in the train had
been appraised of what had happened,
and considerable excitement prevailed, for
no one imagined that the two women could
have escaped instant death. On reaching
| them they were found on the right side of
the track, showing that the leap had been
made from the right side of the train, in the
| sand, which composes the road-bed at this
| place. The young woman was kneeling with
her hands to her face, as though feeling for
her teeth. She made no sound and evident
| ly did not realize the part she had played in
the drama. Mrs. Kendall lay short dis
lance away, apparently mortally hurt She
was eonclous, however, and told those who
came to her assistance that her right arm
was broken. This proved to be true. Other
| apparent injury was a bruise about the size
| OF silver dollar on the right temple. The
| young woman had escaped nearly unhurt,
and the only visible effect of her terrible
leap was scratched face, the marks evidently
made by sliding along the sand after striking
| the earth. Both women were now put upon
the train and made as comfortable as posi-
bic. On arriving in Providence they were
placed in hack and taken to the Narragan-
sett Hotel, where they were attended by DR..
Henriques, who found that Miss Thurston
had not been injured to any extent, but Mrs.
Kendall he found had been hurt quite badly.
Inc wound at the temple was severe, and
her right arm had been broken in four
| places Her face also was badly scratched
and blackened by coming in contact with the
dark colored sand. The doctor considered
lG remarkable from the appearance OF the
! wound on the head that the woman's skull
had not been fractured Indeed it was re-
markable enough that both escaped instant
death. DR.. Henriques set the bones in Mrs
Kendalps arm, and rendered other necessary
surgical service, after which she was made
as comfortable as possible at the hotel. Miss
Ihurston was taken to the Rhode Island
Hospital at 6 o'clock in hack, accompanied
by Mr.. Porter, where she occupied bed
owned by the railroad company, arrange
ments to that effect having been made by Su-
| perintendant j. b. Gardiner. Mrs. Kendall,
although very aged, is not considered to be
dangerously hurt, although the shock to her
system may not be overcome readily.
A telegram was received by Mr.. Brown
Thurston in this city, Sunday night, and his
son, Mr.. George +. Thurston, of H. M. Pay
son d Co., went on to Providence at once
He telegraphed Yesterday that both ladies
were as comfortable as could be expected.
| and his sister, Miss Clara Thurston, and his
! wife-who is Mrs. KendalPs youngest daugh-
| ter-went on yesterday noon to Providence
1t is thought by the doctors that Miss Mary
| Tburston had been suffering from melan-
cholia for some time, which, was aggravated
| by the news of Mrs. Samuel Porter's death.
| This had occurred within day or two in
| Portland, and it was to attend her funeral,
| she being Mrs. Kendall's Oldest daughter
that the two ladies were hurrying north.